Electrical connecter



June 19, 1928.

B. P. McKlNLEY ELECTRICAL CONNECTER Filed Aug. 4, 1924 I8 f2 |6 ZZ 6 aa C e Jy "Eins 2, 14 Z8 Patented June 19, 1928.

UNITED STATES j 1,674,441 PATENT OFFICE.

BENJAMIN P. MCKINLEY, OF FLUSHING, NEW YORK, ASSIGNOR, BY MESNE ASSIGN- MENTS, TO THE BRYANT ELECTRIC COMPANY, A CORPORATION OF CONNECTICUT.

ELECTRICAL CONNECTER.

Application led August 4, 1924. Serial No. 729,910.

My invention relates particularly to electrical connecters of the type having a body portion of insulating material, and two sockets mounted therein and electrically connected with the ends of the Wires of an electric cord, the sockets being adapted to re ceive plug contact members of a heating device or the like.

The object of the invention is to provide an electricalr connecter' of this character which is simple, strong and durable in construction. und etiicient in use.

The several features of the invention will be clearly understood vfrom the following description and accompanying drawings in which,

Figure 1 is a sectional plan view of an electric connecter embodying the features of the invention in their preferred form;

Fig. 2 is a front end elevation of the same;

Figs. 3 and 4 are sectional views taken on the lines 3-3 and 4 4, respectively, of Fig. 1; and

Figs. 5 and 6 are detail views in perspective of component parts of one of the sockets ot the connecter.

The electric connecter illustrated in the drawings is provided with a body portion 2 of bakelite or other suitable insulating material, and consists of two corresponding sections arranged tace to face and secured together by screw bolts 4. The inner face of each section is provided with two recesses or grooves 6, havin straight portions that are arran ed para lel and extend longitudinally om the forward end of the section to a oint spaced from the rear end of the section, and having curved portions, hereinafter described, extending from the rear end ot' the straight portions to the rear end of the section. The grooves 6 of the two sections register when the sections are assembled. The straight portion of each pair of registering grooves receives a socket which has its forward end spaced a distance from the forward end of the body portion of the connecter. Each socket is provided with a stationary jaw 8, and a movable jaw 10, which are arran ed one over the other and are provided wit i registering longitudinally extending central grooves 12 and at longitudinally extending diagonal portions 14, so as to permit the jaws to receive between them either a cylindrical or a flat plug contact member, the forward ends of the jaws being bent outwardly to provide Haring ends to permit the contact member to be easily inserted. The two jaws are made of sheet brass or other material of high electrical conductivity. The stationary jaw 8 extends to substantially the rear end of the straight portion of the registering grooves and the movable jaw has its rear ends spaced a distance in front of the rear end of the stationary jaw. The stationary jaw is provided with opposed laterally projecting tongues 16 near its forward end, each of which is received in registering recesses or slots in the sections of the body portion, the tongues holding the jaw from longitudinal movement.

Each of the longitudinal edges of the stationary jaw is provided with an upstanding fiange 18 which extends from a point spaced a distance from its forward end to the rear end thereof. The movable jaw has its rear portion arranged between the flanges' and is provided with shoulders 19, arranged ad jacent to the forward ends of the flanges. The movable jaw 10 is provided with opposed laterally projecting lugs 20, which are spaced a distance from its rear end and are received more or less loosely in slots 22 in .the flanges 18. The movable jaw is pressed against the stationary jaw by means of a wire spring 24 having a looped portion 26 which bears upon the movable jaw, havin portions thereof spaced from its ends coile about opposed lugs 28 on the stationa jaw, and having its extreme ends engaging t e under side of the stationary jaw. The lugs 28 are spaced a distance back of the rear end of the movable jaw and are formed by a suitably shaped opening in the body of the stationary' jaw.

With this construction of sockets, it will be apparent that the plug contact members may be easily inserted, and when inserted will be firmly engaged substantially throughout their length, and thus a firm electrical contact is provided between the jaws and Contact members. The connection between the jaws of each socketl permits a slight pivotal movement of the movable jaw at the start of the insertion of the contact member, and as the member approaches the rear end of the grooved portions of the jaws permits a bodily movement 0f the movable jaw.

In the illustrated construction, the two lll sections of the body portion of the connecter are provided with registering semi-cylindrical grooves that are arranged centrally at the rear end thereof, and provide a suitably shaped opening for receiving the end of a flexible wire cord guard 32 through which the end portion of the flexible electrical conductor extends. The two pairs of registering grooves 6 extend from the rear end of their straight socket receiving portions, first laterall in opposite directions, then inwardly an forwardly toward each other, and then rearwardly to the registering semi-cylindrical grooves 30, each pair of registering grooves 6 thus forming shoulders 34 on opposite sides thereof, and arranged in staggered relation. The ends of the insulated wire conductors extend, from the semi-cylindrical registering grooves 30, through these curved grooved extensions, and the bare ends are secured and electrically connected to the plug Contact sockets by means of binding screws 38, each binding screw being screw-threaded into an aperture in the rear end of the stationary jaw of the associated socket. With this arrangement, the portion of each insulated conductor extending through each pair of registering rooves 6 is given a substantially 30 double -shape or S-shape bend, and is firmly held therein, so that in case of a pull on the cord the portions of the insulated conductors passing through the registering grooves 6 will bind more or less on the shoulders 34 and thus prevent strain being placed upon the extreme end of the conductors where they connect with the binding screws. Also this arrangement holds these projecting portions of the conducting wires from sharp bending movement.4

As will be evident to those skilled in the art, my invention permits of various modiications without departing from the spirit ble jaw, havlng its ends held in fixed posiltion on said stationary jaw and having portions adjacent to said ends coiled about said opposed lugs.

BENJAMIN P. MCKINLEY. 

